General Aspects of Land and Sea Breezes in Osaka Bay and Surrounding Area

Abstract

The general aspects of land and sea breezes in the Osaka Bay area and its environment are revealed from an analysis of the wind data obtained by the AMeDAS. The study area consists of a complex land-sea configuration and a complex topography which includes plains, hilly terrain, and mountainous regions. The land and sea breezes are classified into five types according to the behavior of the sea breeze at several locations in the study area.The most frequently occurring type is characterized in the following. Along the southern coast of Osaka Bay, the sea breeze from Osaka Bay changes with time into that from the Kui Channel. At the same time, along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea the sea breeze contains a predominant easterly component. For this type, several interesting features are further elucidated: (1) the simultaneous onset of the coastal sea breeze and the valley or upslope wind in the mountainous region is clearly seen, especially in the eastern Chugoku area, (2) the meeting of the southerly sea breeze from the Seto Inland Sea and the northerly breeze from the Sea of Japan occurs around the region of the mountain ridges in eastern Chugoku, (3) the alternation of converging sea breezes from surrounding seas forms a uniform southerly sea breeze from the Kui Channel at Awaji Island, (4) the southerly sea breeze continues until the late afternoon in the coastal area of the Kui Channel and Osaka Bay.Other types are discussed and compared with the above type for the mature stage of the sea breeze. The relationships between the occurrence of the land and sea breeze and general meteorological conditions are also analyzed.

Sea breeze: Structure, forecasting, and impacts

“…The PW is important in determining whether or not a sea breeze will be detectable on land (a very strong offshore PW will prevent the SBC from reaching the coast), as well as exerting an influence on its behavior [e.g., Finkele et al ., 1995]. Mizuma 's [1995, 1998] observational studies of SBC behavior on the coast of Japan include descriptions of several manually identified sea breeze modes, which are dependent on the shape of the local coastline and the direction and strength of the PW. Several other studies have examined SBC response to the PW both generically and along specific coastlines [e.g., Fisher , 1960; Estoque , 1962; Pearson et al ., 1983; McKendry and Roulet , 1994; Planchon and Cautenet , 1997; Melas et al ., 1998; Asimakopoulos et al ., 1999; Clappier et al ., 2000; Melas et al ., 2000; Laird and Kristovich , 2001; Oliphant et al ., 2001; Lericos et al ., 2002].…”

Recent Progress in Mesoscale Climatology

“…The southerly wind termed the "ocean wind" in the Kinki district , mentioned by Itoh and Noda (1989), may be the same kind of wind system as the ESB in the Kanto plain from the viewpoint of the inducing mechanism. From wind distribution maps presented by Itoh (1995) and Mizuma (1995), an ESB-like surface airflow pattern can be seen over the Kinki dis trict. The ESB and its relation to the pressure field over the Nobi plain were described by Mori et al (1994).…”

Influences of Tidal Fronts on Coastal Winds Over an Inland Sea

“…Diurnal variations in ground temperature, static stability, Coriolis force, prevailing wind, and topography including the size and shape of land and coastline also affect the development of sea/land breeze (Simpson 1994). Mizuma (1995Mizuma ( , 1998 has described the sea/land-breeze system in the Seto Inland Sea, but did not pay attention to either the spatial structure of the sea/land breeze offshore or the influence of the SST front on the sea/land-breeze system in the Seto Inland Sea.…”